How to Care for Your Dental Veneers
Unless otherwise instructed by your dentist, dental veneers are easy to care for. You really do not need any special equipment, but there are certain things you need to do to keep your gums healthy, the veneers in good condition, and the teeth that the veneers cover from rotting away. Here is how you can care for your new veneers and steer clear of any problems resulting from proper oral care and a lack of attention to your veneered teeth.
Veneers Are Not Crowns, So Brush Often
Although the veneers themselves do not really need to be brushed, keeping them clean is as important to your oral health as brushing the teeth that do not have veneers. Additionally, veneers usually only cover the visual fronts of teeth or the cracked or chipped areas, leaving the rest of the natural tooth exposed. If you avoid brushing your veneers because you think your teeth are already protected, you could be setting your teeth up for more decay than you had expected.
Veneers are not crowns, and they only protect the surfaces of your teeth that they cover. If you are concerned about using an electric or "sonic" toothbrush on your veneers, a manual toothbrush works just as well to polish the veneered side and clean the natural tooth side. Brush all of your teeth, including the veneers, as often as you would if you did not have the veneers.
Floss, Floss, Floss
Even though you probably already floss often and well, with veneers it is so very important to continue your flossing routine. Even the most perfectly installed dental veneers can leave little wiggle room for dental floss, making it a bit tricky for you to continue this part of your daily oral care routine. Healthy gums ensure that the teeth that the veneers are adhered to will remain healthy and in place for many years. If you are going to make this kind of financial investment in a more attractive smile, then the maintenance necessary to keep the veneers in place and looking their best becomes more important, and flossing is a big part of that.
Do Not Use Your Veneered Teeth to Open Packaged Goods
Porcelain veneers are very strong, but even they have a limit as to what they can handle. Chewing or biting open packaged goods can damage or scrape porcelain veneers or even pop them off if you are using your teeth to open bottles or really tough food bags regularly. Veneers made from composite resin have less strength than porcelain ones and can be more easily damaged. To avoid this problem you should stop using your new teeth for anything but smiling, talking, and eating.
To read more about veneers and their care, search the websites of facilities near you that offer this service.